Replaceable axial journal for auxiliary bearings

An auxiliary bearing system, comprising:

• a sleeve extending circumferentially about a rotary shaft and coupled thereto;
• an axial journal disposed circumferentially about the rotary shaft and adjacent an axial end of the sleeve;
• a locking nut threadably coupled to the rotary shaft and configured to force the axial journal to engage the axial end of the sleeve to at least partially resist axial movement of the axial journal along the rotary shaft;
• a gripping assembly disposed circumferentially about the rotary shaft and configured to engage the axial journal to at least partially resist radial movement of the axial journal relative to the rotary shaft;
• an inertia ring disposed circumferentially about the sleeve, such that a gap is defined between the inertia ring and the sleeve when a primary bearing system supports the rotary shaft,
• wherein the inertia ring engages and rotates with the sleeve and the rotary shaft when the primary bearing system does not support the rotary shaft, and
• wherein the axial journal engages an axial end of the inertia ring to resist axial movement of the rotary shaft when the primary bearing assembly does not support the rotary shaft.

A method for securing an axial journal of an auxiliary bearing system, comprising:

• coupling a sleeve circumferentially about a rotary shaft;
• disposing the axial journal circumferentially about the rotary shaft and adjacent an axial end of the sleeve;
• coupling a locking nut to the rotary shaft to force the axial journal to engage the axial end of the sleeve, thereby preventing axial movement of the axial journal along the rotary shaft;
• and
• disposing a gripping assembly circumferentially about the rotary shaft such that the gripping assembly engages the axial journal to at least partially resist radial movement of the axial journal relative to the rotary shaft.